Saguaro National Park

It takes two days to fully appreciate the beauty of Saguaro National Park on the outskirts of Tucson, Arizona. That's because the park is divided into two sections thirty miles apart. Saguaro West (Tucson Mountain District) has a denser population of saguaro cacti. Here is the five mile Scenic Bajada Loop Drive, a gravel road giving a close-up view of these towering giant succulents. During the Spring you'll be surrounded by their large white and yellow blossoms. In the Saguaro East (Rincon Mountain District) the terrain is more rugged, and has a diversified desert plant community. Along the eight mile paved Cactus Forest Drive there are trailheads offering 128-miles of hiking inside this area. Both districts are hit by powerful lightning storms during the summer monsoon season, where daytime temperatures reach over 100°F. Bring lots of water to drink!

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Up ahead of the highway, the green vegetation begins to appear different, in both color and size. Then you notice strange shapes—tall poles sticking up, many with arms pointing upward. These are the iconic Saguaro (pronounced "sah - WAH - roh") Cactus, botanical name Carnegiea gigantea, which grow primarily in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona. Reaching up to 50 feet tall, weighing eight tons, and living nearly 200 years, these giant cacti symbolize the Southwest. Native Americans used the dried, woody interior ribs for erecting shelter, and harvested the juicy fig-like fruit as food. Today the fruit is made into jams, jellies, candy, and even tea. In the spring, the night-blooming flowers are pollinated primarily by bats, feeding on the nectar. Before they became a protected plant species, thieves would dig-up and re-plant young saguaros as front yard decorations.

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For two hours, I saw only two humans, and they were park rangers on horseback at the Saguaro National Park. The well-marked trails that crisscross these foothills are a treasure trove of American desert flora and fauna. Hiking amongst the 150 year old giant cacti that give this park it’s namesake, I also spotted countless rabbits and jackrabbits, round-tailed squirrels, lizards, coyotes, javelinas, quail, roadrunners, and one sleeping western rattlesnake curled up comfortably on the trail, soaking in the warm morning sun. Give these rattlers a wide berth and don’t worry: You’re far too much trouble for him to waste his time on.

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Meander along eight-mile-long Cactus Forest Drive in Saguaro National Park, and imagine traversing the landscape of a distant world. Towering saguaro cacti with muscular arms reach toward a gossamer blue sky. A dizzying variety of spiny vegetation surrounds you: the oval-shaped prickly pear cactus, the aptly named barrel cactus, and the not-very-huggable teddy bear cactus. Contemplate the spectral presence of what is mostly unseen: the darting roadrunners, snorting javelinas, slithering rattlesnakes, and furry tarantulas that dwell in the severe heat of the Sonoran Desert. Then, in the spring, wander through fields of wildflowers and blooming cacti, marvel at the eruption of reds, yellows, pinks, and purples, and allow yourself to ponder the mysteries and wonders of desert life.

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